The Iron Alliance
by Crow's Gamble
Summary: Summon Night: Swordcraft Story. As unsettling rumors of Deigleyan atrocities reach Wystern, trouble looms on the horizon. Cleru and Rasho recruit a group of Craftknights to help them restore order against the evil nation who schemes to destroy the City of Swords, but will friendship be enough to quench the growing threat once and for all?
1. Iron & Birthright

**Disclaimer: I do not own Summon Night: Swordcraft Story. This is a "fanfiction" and as such, readers are expected to possess the intelligence to realize this. Enjoy!**

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**I**

**Iron & Birthright **

The legendary City of Swords was enveloped by a peaceful aura as midnight touched down on the manmade floors of Wystern. There was not a single disturbance to be found so late, save a lonely kitten pawing at a decorative pair of gloves hanging outside of a local's house, fresh off the furnace. The excitement of the recent Craftlord tournament had ended several months ago, and for the moment, all was calm.

On the other hand, a turbulent storm of emotions was threatening to consume the younger sister of the Craftlord of Ruby. Sanary, the fiery redhead whose proficiency with the sword had garnered nationwide attention, was wide awake in her bed, contemplating far more important issues than the appropriate combo to use when countering an axe-wielder. Cleru, the new Craftlord of Iron, had defeated the Holy Spirit Parista and saved her from certain death, but in place of such danger, she was now subject to many strange and new sensations that she had never experienced before, and neither the comforts of a bed nor the fatigue of a day of sparring could quell the embers of passion that were growing inside her. Rolling around restlessly, Sanary could not help but smile as she thought about him. His cluelessness, his strength, his compassion, there was not one quality that she did not like about him, though she would never admit as much to him. Post-tournament was the closest she came as she briefly confessed her feelings, but of course, the poor fool hadn't paid enough attention to know if he had heard her correctly…

Finally drifting off into an uneasy sleep, Sanary was certain that she would be subjected to a great many fantasies involving her silver-haired knight, but she was severely disappointed. Nightmares stalked her dreams as she was once again in Parista's control, attacking Cleru with the very real intention of slaughter. _No…no! _Sanary screamed as the eternal flames of hatred licked around her naked body. Parista's eyes were as black as coals with tiny yellow pupils. The beast's neck extended as he drew his face close to Sanary, saliva boiling down his thickly hided cheek as his sharp teeth grinned wickedly at her. The smell of burning flesh was fresh on his breath as he leaned in.

"A 'mere victory' in battle can ne'er destroyeth me," Parista hissed a familiar phrase. Sanary's squeezed her eyes shut as she clapped her hands over her ears, but it was futile. "The origins of my power are the flames of hatred…it is the agony of Sanary that empowers me. This damsel…Sanary was envious of thee…She yielded to my power and domination in order to defeat thee…"

"No...I love Cleru…don't hurt him…NO!" Sanary screamed, eyes fluttering wide open as she awoke in a cold sweat. It was surprisingly early considering the lateness in which she had fallen asleep, but she had no desire to go back to bed. The memory of Parista had been haunting her every night since the events after the semi-finals of the Craftlord tournament and all Sanary wanted to do was vent on some Stray Summons. Pinning her hair into a ponytail, Sanary equipped her favorite battle gear: a light purple long-sleeved shirt made out of leather with white shoulder pads, a pair of white gloves, a short skirt, and a pair of tall white boots. Placing her favorite sword gently in her sheath, she fastened it around her waist and straightened out.

"Guess I'm ready to go," Sanary said satisfied as she inspected herself in her mirror. She found a lightening element dagger that she strapped around her waist as well before she quietly opened the door. The Silver Guild was still extremely silent, seeing as how early it was, and Sanary was not really in the mood to explain why she was awake so early. The synchronized voices of Ariel and Muriel were singing poorly from the girls' bathroom, accompanied by the sound of running water, and Sanary was even less enthusiastic about the prospect of any early run-ins as she snuck out stealthily.

Reaching the Central Tower, Sanary fingered her weapon eagerly as she headed straight for the Labyrinth. The green teleporter was lit up as always, and she jumped on it, the ninety-sixth floor glued in her mind. The teleporter responded to her desires, teleporting her to the appropriate floor. As she appeared at the bottom of the Labyrinth, she sprang into action, destroying crates and barrels indiscriminately with her trusty hammer. Her actions attracted the attention of the Labyrinth's inhabitants, including an exceptionally large dark dragon and an electrically overcharged charger. She cut through all opponents with ease as she made her way further down into the bottommost depths of the Labyrinth. At this point, Sanary was nearly invincible as far as normal Strays were concerned, but she wanted to take on the juggernaut of the Labyrinth, simply known as Inferno Kirin. As she made it the final floor with haste, she realized with a mixture of excitement and irritation that Cleru and his Guardian Beast Rasho had already beaten her to the punch.

As the snarling beast unleashed a fireball, Cleru and Rasho sprinted to it and hacked at its neck. The fireball exploded into a sea of flames, but the duo was well out of the scorching flames' reach. Continuing their assault, Inferno Kirin shuddered as they continued chopping, and for a moment, it appeared as if they had won. But the shuddering merely served to loosen the scales on its neck and as it whipped its head, the scales were launched towards its enemies like a meteor shower.

"Cleru, I'm getting sick of this crap!" Rasho complained irritably as he blocked the bombardment with his sword. "You ready to finish it off?"

"Let's do it, partner!" Cleru exclaimed.

In spite of itself, Inferno Kirin stopped its assault as Rasho levitated high into the air, immersed in the ancient magic of his people. He began to chant, and Sanary was surprised to realize that she was able to understand him, though it appeared to be a spell spoken in multiple languages. It was as though every language that had ever been spoken in Lyndbaum was being utilized in Rasho's spell, tearing down all boundaries between the worlds.

"O Yokai of Silturn,

Bestow upon this Oni prince

The power of the warriors of the realm.

Egress this world in the flames of thy kinship

So that any enemies who defy the prince of Mt. Gokei

Shall realize the futility of such folly

And burn to ashes!"

Sanary couldn't help but notice that what she comprehended was spoken with the same jargon that Parista and Kuhyra used, though Rasho never spoke. Perhaps something about the language was seeped in power, and though she had never seen this spell before, she felt the ground beneath her shudder and she dove behind a corner as Rasho rose higher and higher into the air, his hand ablaze, before diving down and rupturing the earth.

An explosive eruption followed this action as pillars of flames jetted from the cracks Rasho had created. Inferno Kirin screeched in agony as it was incinerated by the raw power in Rasho's spell. Swaying on its unstable legs, the beast came crashing down. Cleru gently tapped it with his foot before turning back to Rasho.

"Looks like we beat it again," he said as the duo high-fived triumphantly. Rasho's face fell as he noted the pained look on Inferno Kirin's face.

"Immortality is a bitch," he commented, which Cleru agreed with a shrug.

"Means more experience for us. Not many Strays as powerful as Inferno Kirin, but we've gotta get as much as we can out of our fights."

"Yeah, plus we aren't exactly saints," Rasho chuckled. "You ever feel guilty when you're carrying out your Craftknight duties?"

Cleru contemplated the question for a long moment before he shook his head with a smile. "No, I think I would if Strays were Guardian Beasts, but they lose any trace of conscious thought and become something different altogether. We are freeing them from their suffering. That's how I look at it anyway."

"Well said," Rasho laughed. "If I became a Stray, I would want you to off me right then and there."

"That was really impressive," Sanary commented as she stepped out from her protective corner. "When did you learn that technique?"

Rasho and Cleru spun around surprised. "I didn't think anyone else would be up this early," Cleru exclaimed.

"Well, I was hoping to get some training in, but looks like you guys got to Inferno Kirin first. That was a pretty terrifying attack."

"Thanks," Rasho said with a toothy grin. "We call it Flare Volcano."

"It's different somehow from the other spells I've seen," Sanary said with her brow furrowed. "Most of the time, Guardian Beasts just need to specify their intentions out loud while making use of their mana…but Flare Volcano was something else entirely different."

"Good eye," Rasho complimented her. "That is a birthright of the prince of Mt. Gokei: access to spells that most Guardian Beasts never even come close to touching. I've heard that there are even more spells that I haven't unlocked yet, but that's what makes training fun."

"No doubt," Cleru agreed. "Well, I'm sorry we took your prey, but it'll be a few hours before Inferno Kirin is in any condition to fight again. Why don't you come relax with Rasho and me?"

"That's right!" Sanary's eyes lit up in realization. "I haven't gotten the chance to see your new house yet!"

"Want to check it out?" Cleru grinned as he beckoned her towards him. "Follow us." As he led the way back to the teleporter, Sanary marveled at the fact that a boy younger than her could own a house. This could be attributed to his victory in the Craftlord tournament. In addition to gaining the title of Craftlord of Iron, he won a considerable amount of prize money, enough to begin constructing a house on the third level. His logic was that he wanted a place that his mother Amariss could retreat to when the first floor sunk under the sea and it might as well be on the top level. He typically resided at the Silver Guild, which had become his second home during the Craftlord tournament, but he visited his house from time to time, just as occasionally, he went home to Amariss. Sanary frowned; her sister was always busy on official Craftlord business, so it had been a long time since Sanary had experienced any familial joy.

"Cleru, this is amazing," Sanary gasped as they finally reached his house on the third level. Perhaps amazing was an overstatement considering how cluttered and dirty it was, but nonetheless, it was somehow more appealing to her than most of the adults' houses on the lower levels. There were finely crafted goods made of metal and wood littering the floor. An anvil and furnace were in a nearby room, while several sets of gym equipment filled another. A bookcase was completely filled with tomes and novels, instructional guides to weapon crafting, and even the bestiary that only the most skilled apprentices had been awarded at the previous tourney. It was clearly the house of a Craftknight enthusiast.

"Thanks," Cleru said as he popped open a bottle of milk and gulped it down eagerly while Rasho headed straight for the shower. He offered her a bottle, which she accepted as her stomach offered a low growl. It was almost time for breakfast…

"So have you adjusted to your duties as the Craftlord of Iron?" Sanary asked, offering him a wry grin. Out of the darkness of the Labyrinth, she was finally able to get a good look at him. His outfit was exactly the same as it had been during the tournament. His dark blue long sleeved shirt was covered by a rolled up light blue jacket. What looked to be a leather apron provided additional protection from the heat of the furnace. His pants were dark blue as well, perfectly matching the undershirt he wore. A large weapons case was strapped from his shoulder to his waist, the handle of his newest sword protruding from the end. The only visible differences between the Cleru of the tournament and the current Cleru were an obvious difference in muscle mass, a significant increase in calluses, and a longer mane of unkempt silver hair. Despite this slightly more intimidating appearance, Sanary could only smile at how adorable Cleru looked with a milk mustache.

"I haven't had too many duties yet," Cleru said thoughtfully, "and since Parista returned to Sapureth, the main function of the Craftlords has been lost."

"That's right!" Sanary gasped in surprise. She had completely forgotten the ulterior purpose behind the existence of the Craftlords; not many people ever knew that they were meant to protect the shrine of Parista.

"So mostly I've been training and crafting," Cleru said with a shrug. "Master Rondeau has been teaching me how to improve my weapons, but that's about it so far."

"Well, that's still something," Sanary encouraged him.

Cleru shook his head. "Don't get me wrong, I'm happy to be the Craftlord of Iron, but how am I going to make everyone's dreams come true if all I am able to do is fight?"

"Strength is all a good king needs," Rasho's voice boomed as he emerged from the shower with a towel hanging around his neck.

"I see where Cleru is coming from though," Sanary said carefully, "but you can't rush things."

"Yeah, yeah," Cleru said as a series of brisk knocks echoed from his front door. Standing up, he approached it and peeked through the peephole before he enthusiastically swung the door. "I haven't seen you since the tournament!" He exclaimed. Sanary felt amused as the man who frequently delivered Craftknight notifications entered Cleru's humble abode.

"Hello, hello!" The messenger exclaimed. "Sorry to bother you, but Master Rondeau is requesting the presence of all Craftlords at once!"

Cleru glanced at Sanary apologetically. "Sorry, Sanary…looks like we'll have to get together later. This is the first time since becoming Craftlord that we have all been summoned, so I'm assuming it's important."

"You don't need to explain yourself to me," Sanary said. She finished off her milk and set her bottle on the counter as she headed out, the messenger, Cleru, and Rasho behind her. She headed back towards Central Tower, but as Cleru and Rasho entered Master Rondeau's house, curiosity beckoned her to eavesdrop. She waited behind a set of crates as Kouren arrived with Sakuro. Sanary knew that very few were present since Tyram and Ureksa's return to Vance and the death of Lubert. That just left Rondeau, Cleru, Sakuro, and Kouren left in Wystern, and as the door shut behind Sakuro, Sanary knew no one else would be coming. Pressing her ear against the door of Rondeau's house, she had no way of knowing that this meeting would set off a chain of events that would be the beginning of another Swordcraft Story.

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**Author's Note: I first started this story back in 2008, but it was just terrible at the time. Still, the ideas were solid and now I have the talent to back it up, not to mention a thorough recent play through of Summon Night. This is a potential 20+ chapter series, but I need to see some support if I'm going to be motivated to update any time in the near future! Review, favorite, and follow!**

**Crow**


	2. Abductions & Alliance

**II**

**Abductions & Alliance**

"Now then, it would appear that we are all here," Rondeau, the Craftlord of Diamond, declared. His spikey beard fell to his chest, an unparalleled intelligence in his dark eyes. His attire was interwoven with gold and black patterns, too fine for any normal citizen to wear, though a commoner's plain long sleeve shirt was beneath his gorgeous clothing, though the cuffs were patterned with red and black.

Cleru felt inferior in the presence of his former mentors who expected him to be on equal footing with them. Rasho, on the other hand, was resting his back against the wall with his eyes closed, supremely unconcerned with the events happening around him.

"This really puts things into perspective," Kouren commented sadly as she looked at the only four Craftlords that still resided in Wystern. Nearly half of their numbers were gone. True, Tyram and Ureksa had not resigned, but the fact that they were in Vance meant that they could not perform their duties in the City of Swords.

"Now, now," Rondeau said kindly. "We aren't so helpless that we can't manage for a while on our own. But enough nostalgia! We have business to attend to." As he fixed his eyes on the group, Cleru shirked slightly.

"Straighten up!" Rasho barked, startling Cleru to attention.

Rondeau chuckled. "Indeed, dear boy, you are a Craftlord now. No need to be so uptight."

"Err, sorry," Cleru apologized. Rondeau waved Cleru's apology aside as he launched into the meeting.

"The reason I have summoned you all today," Rondeau began, "is primarily to discuss the Deigleyan threat."

"I thought that threat ended when Parista returned to Sapureth?" Cleru said confused. The Craftlords all smiled painfully in the face of Cleru's innocence. Such naïvety would quickly be shaken under the arduous duties of a Craftlord.

"I'm afraid not," Rondeau said softly. "Deigleya is a war faring nation and Wystern is their archenemy. The fact that Parista has been defeated has only intensified their hatred for us since they lost a potential weapon."

"Have they made a move yet, Master Rondeau?" Sakuro asked. Rondeau sighed as he placed his head in his hands in a gesture of great remorse.

"They sacked Vance." Everyone immediately snapped to attention at this.

"How could they?" Kouren exclaimed outraged. "Ureksa, Tyram, and Rumari are all there!"

"We don't know!" Rondeau raised his hands in surrender. "One of our agents returned from Vance in disarray, screaming absolute rubbish."

"What did the agent say?" Sakuro asked.

"He claimed that a giant was aiding Deigleyan soldiers in abducting some of the citizens of Vance."

"Impossible," Kouren said, twisting her bangs with her fingers nervously.

"Why is that impossible?" Cleru asked, noticing that Rasho was now completely alert.

"There has only ever been one confirmed giant in Lyndbaum," Sakuro said seriously. "And that was Pullcoda the Giant, the infamous nemesis of Vanice, the Knight of the Cape and founder of Vance."

"You talk too much," Rasho snapped, prompting Sakuro to bow his head in apology. Turning to Cleru in a huff, Rasho furrowed his brow. "No one is really sure how a giant could enter Lyndbaum; it's next to impossible to summon them. Still, if Deigleya is actually employing a giant, the only worst case scenario would be if they had gotten their hands on Parista."

"This is all mere speculation at this point," Rondeau interjected. "The only thing we can be certain of is that many citizens of Vance are now missing, including Ureksa, Rumari, and Tyram. It is our duty to ensure their safety, but above all else, to ensure the safety of Wystern. The best way to do that is naturally by taking care of our neighbors."

"Indeed," Kouren agreed.

"So right now, we need to launch a thorough investigation," Rondeau stroked his beard contemplatively. All three of the elder Craftlords slowly turned and faced Cleru.

"W-what is it?" Cleru asked self-consciously.

"I'm sorry, Cleru," Rondeau said, and Cleru was surprised to hear the sincerity in his voice, "but none of us can undertake this task but you."

"Are you crazy?" Rasho spoke sharply. "Cleru may be a Craftlord, but he is still a novice. You've done a half-assed job training him properly; he hasn't even had to perform any proper Craftlord duties yet."

"And it is **precisely **because of this that Cleru is the perfect candidate for the job," Rondeau replied, his eyes twinkling. "We are down to four Craftlords; we need to recover our manpower from Vance. We cannot spare more than one Craftlord for this task, and since Cleru has had no formal training yet, he is the only one that we can afford to send right now."

"Isn't this too important to entrust to me?" Cleru frowned. Sakuro actually laughed at this.

"Just because you are new doesn't mean you are unqualified," he said as he adjusted his glasses. "You successfully defeated Ureksa three times. You beat Lubert in a completely fair fight. You can easily make it to the bottom of the Labyrinth. You even defeated Parista!"

"Yeah…" Cleru muttered uncomfortably, "but I had help with all of that…"

"Who said you wouldn't be allowed help?" Rondeau exclaimed. "You need to save the citizens of Vance and this will probably entail a lengthy investigation. If my hunch is correct, even a seasoned Craftlord would have difficulty with this. You and Rasho will have company, don't you worry."

"We'll do it!" Rasho spoke up as Cleru opened his mouth. Cleru glared at his Guardian Beast who only offered a sheepish shrug.

"Yeah," Cleru turned to the other Craftlords. "We'll save Master Ureksa, Tyram, Rumari, and the others."

"Excellent!" Rondeau clapped his hands together. "Now there is one last piece of business to attend to. Sanary!"

"Sanary?" Cleru echoed confused as Rondeau faced the door. An awkward silence followed as all four of the Craftlords stared at the entrance.

"Sanary, please come inside," Rondeau said kindly. "I have a favor to ask of you."

Slowly, the door creaked open and Sanary stepped inside Rondeau's house looking extremely embarrassed. Rasho whispered none too softly, "Busted!"

"Nonsense," Rondeau said smoothly. "I was wondering if you would go and fetch Bron and Libody for me."

"On my way," Sanary said quickly. As the door closed behind her, Kouren chuckled.

"She's just like I used to be…"

Libody arrived about ten minutes later, escorted by his son Varil and their faithful butler Nigelle. Varil offered Cleru a curt nod and Nigelle couldn't help but grin at the young master's competitive spirit. They each took a seat and waited until Bron finally arrived with an out-of-breath Sanary.

"Whaddaya want, Rondeau?" Bron asked rudely as they barged in. "I was attendin' to some of my Craftknights. They've been doin' nothin' but dabberin' around since the tourney ended."

"Shut up and take a seat, you big dunderhead!" Rondeau thundered. "This meeting won't go any faster with your dumb questions!"

"Master Rondeau…" Kouren said softly.

Err…excuse me…ahem…" Rondeau regained his composure. "Anyway, I called you here to listen to Cleru's request."

"My request?" Cleru was already confused.

"You and Rasho will need some help," Rondeau said, "but the Silver and Gold Guilds are evaluated based on the performance and production of their Craftknights. Take the best Craftknights you can, but take no more than two from each so the guilds don't suffer too much of a loss."

"If we're goin' for balance, why don't Cleru take three from the Gold Guild, seein' as he counts as one of the Silver Guild's members?" Bron suggested. Rondeau closed his eyes in a vain prayer for patience.

"Two from each," he said unwaveringly. Bron sighed remorsefully, but said no more. For Cleru, three of his comrades were no brainers.

"Razzy and Sanary from the Silver Guild," he said immediately, "and Varil from the Gold Guild." Sanary's heart fluttered as he said this and Varil looked extremely pleased as well.

"That's three," Rondeau counted. "Do you have a fourth?"

"I actually have someone in mind," Varil interrupted, "if it's okay with you, Cleru."

"Uh…sure," Cleru conceded.

"Kenon," Varil grinned. "He's gotten **much** stronger since you fought him in the tournament."

"Sounds good," Cleru smiled. "Looks like we've got our crew."

"Excellent!" Rondeau clapped his hands together pleased. "I will visit both guilds personally and give full explanations to Razzy and Kenon. They are free to decline of course, but if you and Varil can vouch for them, I would say you are probably good to go. If nothing unexpected comes up, you could be ready to leave as early as tomorrow."

"I'll start preppin' the ship," Bron said as he excused himself. Rondeau nodded approvingly. Not to be outdone by his guild rival, Libody stood up with an air of importance.

"I shall buy enough supplies to last a month!" He said and he was out the door without another word. Nigelle, however, lingered behind with Varil, looking at Cleru somewhat nervously.

"What's wrong?" Cleru asked.

"Master Cleru, if it isn't too much of an inconvenience…might I accompany you on this journey?" Nigelle's question threw Cleru off by surprise, but it wasn't unwelcome in the slightest. "I can be of great help, cooking, cleaning, and attending to the ship while you are out and about."

"If Libody allows it, I'd be honored to have you join us," Cleru smiled. Nigelle bowed graciously and walked quickly after his master. As he left, Varil and Sanary approached Cleru.

"Looks like it's about to be like old times," Varil clapped Cleru on the shoulder. "I'm going to meet up with Kenon and get ready for tomorrow."

"I'll go with you," Rondeau said, "since the Gold Guild is closer than the Silver Guild. I'll talk to Razzy later." Rondeau faced Cleru and smiled. "You have formed your alliance, Craftlord of Iron. Now show us what you can do with it." With that declaration, Rondeau set off with Varil. Sanary burst into laughter, prompting a curious glance from her sister.

"Looks like things are starting to heat up!" Sanary said as she gripped Cleru's hand joyfully. "This is gonna be fun."

Rasho coughed in the background.

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**Author's Note: One review was enough to spur me into releasing the second chapter. I've gotten spoiled on the large fan base from Naruto, but Summon Night: Swordcraft Story is a cult classic. It seems anything by Atlus falls into that category, but there is still so much depth to the story and I would love to fish it out with my series. All I need is to know there is at least one fan reading my series and wanting me to update. If I have that, I will most definitely update. **

**Crow**


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